winger



7 UNITE STATES PATENT OFFICE. I

OSVALD E. WVIN GER, OFFBEEPORT, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ELAM B. WINGER, OF SAME PLACE.

WINDMILL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 293,836, dated February 19, 1884.

- Application filed December 6, 1883. (No model.) I

T0 aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OSWALD E. WINGER, a resident of 'Freeport, in the county of Stephenson and State of Illinois, have invented cer tain new .and useful Improvements in VVindmills; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same.

Y My invention relates to improvements in windmills of that class in which the power of the wind-wheel is applied to the rotation of a Vertical power-transmitting shaft, and which are known as power-mills, as distinguished from pumping-mills. v

The object of the invention is to prevent the reaction of the work on the vertical shaft from throwing the wind-wheel out of the wind; and the invention is fully explained, described, and claimed in the following specification and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a side elevation of one form of mill'embodying-the invention; Fig. 2, a cen tral vertical section of the same, the plane of section passing through the line w Fig. 3; Fig. 3, a plan of same, that part of the mill being removed which is above a horizontal plane passing through the line as y, Fig. 1; Fig. 4, a central Vertical section of a second form of mill embodying the invention, the shafting, gearing, and chain-belt being shown in elevation; Fig. 5, a horizontal section of the turntable S, Fig. 4, the plane of section passing through line 00 3 Fig. and Fig. 6, a top view of the plates D O B, Fig. 4.

In the mill shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, A is a tower of ordinary form, and B an annular plate formed with ratchet-teeth on its edge, and provided with integrally-formed projecting plates or arms a, which are bolted or otherwise fastened to the tower.

Within the ringBrotates freely the conical sleeve 0, provided with-a horizontal flange, O, which rests on the ring B, and also with a bearing, F, in which is journaled a horizontal shaft, G, whose use is hereinafter explained, both the flange G and bearing Fbeing formed integrally with the sleeve 0. e I

vthe engagement of the pawl and ratchet by 8' o Within thesleeve O is a second conical sleeve, 0, formed integrally with a horizontal plate, D, which rests on the flange O, and also with abearing, E, in which is journaled the horizontal shaft Gof an ordinary wind-wheel, V I. The shafts G G are in the same horizontal bearings to move independently about the vertical axis of the mill.

Within the sleeve 0 rotates freely a vertical power-transmitting shaft, G, provided with a miter-gear, K, mounted on the upper end of the shaft, and engaging with a similar gear mounted on thehorizontal. shaft G. The contiguous faces of the plates B O D are provlded with corresponding annular grooves,in whlch are anti-frictionballs Q, which sustain thepress are between the parts. The lower end of the sleeve 0 is j ournaled in a horizontal ring, N, attached to the tower by means of integrallyformed arms J. The casting F is provided with a boss, M, lying outside of and just above the plane of the ratchet-plate B, and to this boss is pivoted a horizontally-swinging pawl, M, which engages withthe ratchet. Asprlng, 0, attached to the casting F, tends to preserve pressing against the outer face ofthe pawl.

On the periphery of the plate D are two outwardly projecting lugs, L L, arranged symmetrically with reference to the bearing E of the wind-wheel, andat such an angular distance apart that if the plate D be rotated forty-five degrees in either direction from .lts position as shown in Fig. 3, one of the lugs L L will strike the casting F. The lug L is provided at its outer and lower end with an arm, L, lying just outside of the ratchet B, and extending toward the pawl M, the position and length of the arm being such that when the plate D is rotated from left to right (or in the direction indicated by the arrow a, Fig. 3) the arm L passes under the casting F,

, strikes the pawl M, and lifts it out of engagement with the ratchet just before the lug L strikes the casting F. The wind-wheel I rotates in the direction indicated by the arrow on the spider. in Fig. 1, and the shaft G and IOC I tion balls.

gear K rotate in the same direction. shaft G and gear K rotate in the direction indicated by the arrow on the gear in Fig. 1, and as soon as any resistance is offered to the rotation of the vertical shaft the reaction tends to roll the gear K about the gear K from left to right, or in' the direction indicated by the arrow a, Fig. 3. This tendency is resisted, however, by the engagement of the pawl M and ratchet B, which renders the bearing F stationary, so far as any influence of the reaction of the vertical shaft is concerned. As the connection between the shafts G G is a flexible joint, the bearing E swings freely about the vertical axis of the mill under the influence of the wind alone, and unaffected by the shaft G or its bearing F. If, now, the bearing E swing fortyfive degrees from left to right, as indicated by the arrow a, Fig. 3, the arm L disengages the pawl ill, the lug L strikes the casting F, and the two bearings E F swing together from left to right until the bearing E comes to rest in the line of the wind, when the pawl again engages with the ratchet and the bearing F becomes again stationary. If, on the other hand, the bearing E swing from right to left, or in the opposite direction to that indicated by the arrow a, Fig. 3, when the lug L strikes the bearing F the lug and bearing move in the same direction, the pawl M passing from one tooth to another of the ratchet, and offering no resistance except the force exerted by the spring 6. Thus while the pawl and ratchet effectually prevent the bearing F from changing -its position under the influence of the reaction of the vertical shaft, they leave it free to swing about the vertical axis of the mill, whenever required to do so, by the motion of the bearing E of the wind-wheel shaft.

In the mill shown in Figs. 4, 5, and 6, A is the tower, whose top is a plate, A, having a central circular opening, in which turns freely a turntable, S, the adjacent faces of the plate and turn-table being separated by anti-frie- The turntable S has cast with it a bearing, E, in which is journaled the horizontal wind-wheel shaft G, and there is also formed integrally with the turn-table a central web, I), Figs. 4, 5, from the lower side of which depends an integrally-formed hub, c. On the wind-wheel shaft G, at the center of the turntable, is rigidly mounted a chain -pulley, f, whose use is hereinafter explained.

In the center of the tower, at such distance below the turn-table as is desired, is an annular ratchet-plate, B, provided with ears or flanges a, which are bolted to the timbers of the tower.

\Vithin the plate 13 rotates freely aplate, C, from whose lower face depends the rigid frame V, in whosesides isjournaled ahorizontal shaft, (1, Fig. 4.

On the shaft (1, in the line of the vertical axis of the mill, is mounted a chain-pulley, f, and a bevel-gear, K, is mounted on the same shaft and engages with a second bevel-gear mounted The I on a vertical power-transmitting shaft, G, which is journaled in the lower side of the frame V.

At one side of the plate 0 is a raised projecting lug, F, provided with a boss, M, to

whose lower face is pivoted a horizontallyswinging pawl, M, engaging with the stationary ratchet B, the pawl being held in engagement with the ratchet by a spring, 0, fastened to the lug F. A vertical shaft, G, rests and rotates freely in a socket at the center of the upper face of the plate 0, the upper end of the shaft entering the hub c, heretofore referred to, and being rigidly held therein by a setscrew. A plate, D, consisting of an annular outer portion and a diametrical web, is rigidly fastened to the shaft G, immediately above the plate 0, the shaft passingthrough the center of the web, and the plate D, shaft G, and turn-table S, forming a single rigidly-united structure which rotates together. A chainbelt, R, passes around the chaiii pulleys'ff, through the open spaces on either side of the web in the plate D, and through two holes in the plate 0, Fig. 6, and this chain-belt forms a flexible coupling between the shafts G (Z, transmitting the motion of the shaft G to the shaft (1, and at the same time allowing the shaft d to rotate in a horizontal plane about a vertical axis, independently of the shaft G within the limits of torsion of the chain-belt.

To the periphery of the annular plate D are attached two lugs, L L, Fig. 6, the lug L being provided with an arm, L, extending toward the pawl M- The oflice of the lugs L L and arm L is precisely the same as that of the corresponding parts shown in Fig. 3. The rotation of the turn-table with the changes of direction of the wind brings these lugs L L against the lug F of the pl ate 0. Vhen the plate D moves in the direction indicated by the arrow a on its face, the lug L strikes the lug F, and the pawl slips over the successive teeth of the ratchet. \Vhen, on the other hand, the plate D moves in the opposite direction, the arm L passes under the lug F, lifts the pawl M out of engagement with the ratchet, and permits the lug F and plate 0 to yield to the pressure of the plate D.

It will readily be seen that the two forms of mill shown are identical in principle and operation. The shaft G of the wind-wheel is the same in both mills, and the shaft G of the mill shown in Fig. 1 corresponds to the shaft d of the mill shown in Fig. 4., the two horizontal shafts in each mill being connected by flexible connections, a universaloint coupling being used in one case and a chain-belt in the other.

In both the mills shown the angular space between the lugs L L is ninety degrees; but this angle may be decreased to any desired extent, its maximum limit, however, being the working range of the flexible connection.

No means for regulating the speed of the wind-wheel is shown in either form of mill; but any of the well-known devices for that purpose may be applied to either of them.

Having now described and explained my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a windmill of the class described, the combination of two horizontal shafts journaled in independent bearings and connected" by means adapted to insure their simultaneous rotation in their bearings, but to permit limited independent rotation of their bearings about the vertical axis of the mill, a wind wheel mounted on one of said shafts, gearing connecting the other of said shafts with the vertical power-transmitting shaft of the mill,'

a pawl attached to thabearing of said lastnamed horizontal shaft and engaging with a ratchet attached to the tower of the mill, said pawl and ratchet being adapted, when in engagement, to prevent the rotation -of said bearing in a direction opposite 'to the direction of rotation of the vertical power-transmitting shaft, and means attached to the bearing of the wind-wheel shaft, whereby the mounted on one of said shafts, and a beveled gear mounted on the other and connecting it with the vertical power-transmitting shaft of the mill, a pawl attached to the bearing of said geared shaft and engaging with a stationary ratchet, and adapted to prevent the rotation of the bearing in the direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the vertical power-transmitting shaft, and means attached to the bearing of the wind-wheel shaft, whereby the rotation of said bearing, until it strikes the bearing to which said pawl is attached,"

disengages said pawl and ratchet, and causes the rotation of the bearing to which the pawl is attached, substantially as shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

The combination of the bearings E F,

ratchet-plate B, pawl M, attached to the bearing F and engaging with the ratchet-plate B, lugs L L, attached to the bearing E, and arm L, formed integrally with the lug L, and adapted to disengage said pawl and ratchet, substantially as shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I- have signed this specification inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

OSWALD E. WINGER.

Vitnesses:

A. V. RICHARDS, OSCAR TAYLOR. 

